


A face is a face

by Skitter160 (Shinigamibutter)



Category: Natsume Yuujinchou | Natsume's Book of Friends
Genre: A lil bit like self-cest, Aged-Up Character(s), Canon Compliant, Feelings, Future Fic, Human Madara, Implied/Referenced Sex, M/M, Slice of Life
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-29
Updated: 2019-10-29
Packaged: 2021-01-05 13:47:21
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 921
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21209546
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Shinigamibutter/pseuds/Skitter160
Summary: Natsume never would have guessed that this is what the future would hold. Love looking back at him from his own face with Madara staring through a replica of his eyes.





	A face is a face

**Author's Note:**

> Uh this is self indulgent to the max. But here we are. I actually have other theories having reached volume 22? Or maybe it was 23? But....I needed this and couldn't find it. So here I am to provide it.

Natsume rolled onto his side, stretching his hand out to run his fingers through long soft fur. Beside him Madara was breathing evenly in undisturbed sleep. But Natsume hadn't been able to drift off yet, too caught up in memories of how things had changed. Memories of how they had gotten here. An unexpected place to be considering their beginnings. Yet, now that they were here it almost felt like a natural conclusion.

Still, he'd never have thought of himself being here. With Madara long past the book of friends. Long past the life of a teenager and still together. Well, closer than the together of before. Much, much closer. And nights like this one, laying naked and spent on his futon he wondered how they'd truly gotten here. How 'they' had come to be.

In his memories the moment was still unclear, precious but cloudy. The words Madara had said to him, had nearly growled at him pinning him to this very futon a year, or maybe more ago. Time was harder to keep track of these days than it had ever been. Caught in yokai time. Bloomed into the world of adulthood and timeless months that weren't counted by anything but holidays. 

Though the words were gone the sentiment remained, the message remained. And Natsume could feel it now, his heart throbbing at the love he felt in it. Swelling and taking him over much as it always had in the little ways he'd tried not to notice. Madara had noticed, Madara had felt. And in a way they'd both been running before then, away from each other when all they'd truly wanted was to run towards each other. 

That was what Madara had passed on to him in words forgotten. That he was running, had always been running from affection, from humans. Not just from Natsume himself, as he'd run from Reiko before him. Though Madara assured him the sentiment wasn't the same. Natsume believed him, knew that Madara might be many things but a liar was not among them when honesty served better. 

Still, that night pinned against the futon things had changed. A floodgate had been thrown open and Madara had admitted, for the first time it had been years since he'd cared about the book of friends. The same book that laid less than empty on the desk that night. Every name returned that was requested, it was still thicker than Natsume ever thought it would be. But Madara said he didn't want it, not anymore. 

Then while still in shock Natsume had seen his yokai, his pet, his friend change to one of the only human forms he knew. Natsume's own. And that was when everything changed, when everything that was cloudy in his memories became clear. Boiling down to the sensation of lips, his own lips on an imposter body pressing against his own. Insistent and firm, passionate and giving. And he'd accepted everything they had to offer. 

In that moment everything made sense. Why he cared, why Madara pretended he didn't. Everything. Down the little collection he'd hidden of 'Nyanko-Sensei' look alike. Down to why some nights he'd caught Madara staring at him. And from there things had moved forward, fast. A slip of a hand there, the gentlest caress, and the motion of two bodies pushed together as one. No more words needed. 

Natsume sighed at the memory of his first time, their first time. It had been difficult afterwards to accept, but in the moment he'd hardly thought about it being his own body moving against him. His own face staring back at him as they did what their love told them to do. It was after that he realized he knew more about his own body, now less of a bean sprout and more of a man. 

Now, so many times later Natsume didn't hesitate to press his lips against his mirror image, forceful and honest as he molded their bodies together. Hands exploring a body he knew inside and out, while the mind behind it opened it to him. Showed him the pleasure his body could give and receive. Just like it had last night. A thought that curled around his sleepless mind the way his fingers curled in Madara's fur.

Things were different now, but not by much. Madara still took his form, still loved him deep into the night. And afterwards, if he wasn't up for drinking with the others he stayed. Just like this. Beautiful and noble in his yokai form. No longer confined to play the part of a cat in Natsume's home. Warded properly and still yokai accessible, tricks of his trade working for a peaceful resolution between yokai and humans.

Working towards happiness, or what could be found of it in the love between two worlds. Working towards his continued happiness with Madara, the days of a weakling and his Sensei long gone. Turned into the days of a man and his lover taking on the storm of feelings that always seemed to run hottest with yokai. Feelings that still rippled and echoed throughout the human world. 

Natsume closed his eyes, scooting closer to the warmth next to him and felt himself drift away. The arms of love cradling him to sleep. In the morning, Madara would still be there, maybe looking back at him from a replica of his own eyes or maybe just from his own. But he would still be there just as in love as Natsume was himself.

**Author's Note:**

> Thoughts appreciated. Even if it's just to tell me that I'm crazy. Not that I don't already know.


End file.
